Sociable Cider Werks: The Tour

Ever since Jim Watkins and co-owner Wade Thompson flung wide the taproom doors at Sociable Cider Werks' cider house, a first-of-its-kind operation in the Twin Cities, they've been turning out dry, crisp hard ciders made from locally sourced apples and brewed with malts, hops, and other grains typically used for beer. These beer-cider hybrids, known as graffs, might be new on the local scene, but craft cider seems to be having a moment across the nation. And it shows: customers have turned out in droves to Sociable's new Northeast facility. To cater to their growing audience even more fully, Sociable has started booking food trucks like Simply Steve’s, Cajun 2 Geaux, Gastrotruck, and some other staples of the taproom community, and they've outfitted their outdoor area with a bocce court where locals are organizing games of Kubb, a Swedish lawn game that’s sort of a combination of bowling, chess, and horseshoes. “We’re just excited that other people are excited," says Watkins. PHOTOS BY ALMA GUZMAN